Finding a Line
by Generalpandathefourth
Summary: They all work at the same restaurant. Gail has had the biggest crush on the hostess since she started working there, Chris being the good friend he is invites Holly out drinking with them
Gail stared as the restaurants' hostess greeted a couple with her heart stopping smile. Holly, the hostess and owners niece, was a big problem of Gail's. She had the biggest crush on the brunette and there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn't make any move on Holly for fear of her job, but even with that Gail was sure the brunette didn't know her beyond a table section.

"Move it or lose it Peck!" Traci barked, pulling the blonde out of her daze. The older women slide past her with full trays in each hand. Gail admired her sort of friend's waitressing talents, she herself was quite clumsy and couldn't stand people, so the job didn't come easily to her as it seemed it did for Traci. But she somehow kept the job for the past six months so that had to count for something.

Gail took a last glance at Holly, laughing at something the man in a suit said, licked her lips and went back to the kitchen wishing she were the one to earn that laugh.

"Better wipe that frown upside down, Gail, you need those tips for drinks tonight remember." Chris, one of the cooks, teased good naturally in a way that only he could get away with. Gail had quickly wrapped him around her finger, he turned out to be pretty good company at the bar and he snuck her food when he could.

Gail shot him a glare. She'd forgotten that the first two rounds were on her.

"Bad table?" Chris looked at her with concern, never pausing his work. He impressed her sometimes too.

"They all are." She deadpanned.

Chris chuckled and shuffled around a bit, stirring this, grabbing this, taking that and putting it there for someone else to finish. Graceful wouldn't be the word Gail would use to describe the dance, although his boyfriend had no qualms in throwing that word around when it came to the cook. When he spun back around and caught her eye he paused, recognition hitting his face with a grin.

"Is it Holly?" Chris practically sang the name. Gail rolled her eyes and turned away, acting as if she suddenly needed something from the counter behind her. Nothing was there of course or at least nothing she'd be able to play off. "Ooo, it is."

"Shut up, Chris." Gail growled but all of its usual venom was lost on her tongue when she caught sight of said woman through the door window.

"You should invite her out with us tonight. It's casual and a lot of us are going after shift, wouldn't be weird for her to join."

"It would be weird. We don't talk so suddenly inviting her out is weird. Besides she's like the boss around here." Gail dismissed the idea. There was no casual way to ask Holly out, absolutely none, especially after spilling three drinks on herself because she was very obviously distracted by Holly.

"You're thinking about it too much." Chris chastised with an amused shake of his head.

"I have tables to wait." Gail grumbled and pushed through the door. But just as she was going out someone was going by and both ended up on the floor in the collision.

"I'm sorry." The person, a woman from the sound of their voice, apologized breathlessly from under Gail.

Gail grunted. "You should be." She pushed herself up and off the woman then froze half way up. Holly. She'd crashed into Holly and was being a complete bitch, which granted she was with everyone but still.

Luckily for her Holly only chuckled and shook her head. "I'm starting to see the sunny waitress everyone's always talking about." She mused.

Gail was still stunned, unable to move or react further than swallowing. What was she supposed to do or say when the most beautiful woman ever was laying underneath her, smiling up at her like she was the most adorable thing in existence?

"Not that I'm complaining about this position but these floors are probably gross an-"

"Right. Yeah." Gail said louder and more unsteady than she'd intended, accidentally cutting Holly off mid sentence. "Sorry." She added much quieter, almost inaudible. She was flustered, very flustered, and wasn't used to the feeling. Holly had a weird affect on her.

"Like I said, I'm not complaining." Holly repeated charmingly.

Gail's chest fluttered at the implication. Was Holly flirting with her? She dusted off her hands and picked up the pen that had fell out of her apron, her cheeks burned with as much embarrassment as it did excitement.

"Table six is looking for their waitress." Traci came out of the blue, a hint of a smirk on her lips as she glanced between Gail and Holly.

"I'll let you get back to work, Gail, and I'll be sure to watch for the door next time." Holly's eye danced in a way Gail had never seen before. Actually she'd never gotten a very good look at Holly's eyes before, they never really interacted, and now that she had she was hooked.

Gail stood there dumb founded.

"Table six, Heart Eyes." Traci reminded her with a jab of her elbow. Heart Eyes was a name she'd been doubted after the first week Holly started working at the restaurant five months ago. She loathed the name.

"Remember that cake I made you last week?" Chris cut into Gail's sentence.

"Yes." She raised a brow. The cook was acting stranger than usual, he had an edge to him suddenly. He was up to something.

"Okay. Just remember how delicious it was, and that I gave you my piece." He said seriously before focusing on something over her shoulder and sprouting one of his toothy, welcoming smiles.

"What does tha-" She was interrupted yet again, only this time it caught her breath.

"Hey, sorry I'm late." Holly was right behind her, if she were to lean back she'd fall right into Holly's arms.

"You're fine, the others haven't arrived yet either." Chris waved her off. Standing he added, "let me grab you a chair."

Gail shifted in her seat. She was going to kill Chris. She was going to kill him slowly and painfully. Mark sent her an encouraging nod so she added him on the murder list as an accessory to the crime.

Chris, like the subtle mom he was, placed the chair in right next to Gail. And with a quick 'there you go' he settled back in his own seat across the table. "Holly this is Mark, my boyfriend." Chris introduced the two with the contained excitement of a puppy.

"It's nice to meet you, Mark." Holly politely greeted as she sat down. Gail's heart picked up a beat, they were seated a lot closer than she had thought they would be, she could smell the traces of the restaurant lingering to Holly as it did them all, but Gail didn't mind it on the brunette. In fact she kind of liked the way it mixed with what she assumed to be the scent of Holly's shampoo. It was unique.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Holly." Mark greeted back with as much charisma a salesmen would only dream to posses. "I'm going up for a refill can I get you anything?"

"A beer would be great, thanks."

"One beer coming right up. Gail?" He glanced at the blonde expectantly.

"Whatever." She replied coolly.

"Two beers then. Chris would you come help me carry please." Mark smoothly slid out of his seat, purposely avoiding the icy blue daggers he knew were being sent his way.

Gail found herself at a loss, nothing to say, nowhere to go, she was stuck awkwardly sitting next to the woman she'd been crushing on her half a year.

"So do you come here often?" Holly rest the side of her head in her hand, elbow sat on the table, and faced the fair skinned woman.

"That's the line you're going with?" Gail teased, surprising herself with the sudden confidence to form words let alone poke fun. Holly chuckled lightly. Gail's chest fluttered at the sound, filling with an ember of warmth at the smile it produced. She was in deep and she knew it.

"I could come up with a better one if you'd like." Holly quipped easily, her lips pulling up to one side in a crooked smirk. Her eyes flicked from Gail's eyes to her lips once. Elation swirled at the bottom of Gail's belly, creating butterflies that danced up into her chest. Holly was definitely flirting, but whether or not it was real or just play she couldn't tell.

"Alright, let's hear it." Gail shifted in her seat to better face the brunette. Holly straighten up, mirroring Gail's posture, smirk still set in place.

"Holly I didn't know you'd be joining tonight." An all too cheery voice chimed from behind them. "Not that it's a bad thing. You're awesome and always welcome to join, I just wasn't expecting to see you-"

"She gets it, Chloe." Gail interrupted with a hiss.

"So what're we talking about?" Chloe asked as she pulled up a chair next to Holly, all too close for Gail's liking.

"How slow the boys are at getting drinks." Gail bit. She let out a breath and leaned back in her seat. She was being a tad childish, she was enjoying her conversation alone with Holly and really wanted to hear what line the hostess would give her, she wanted to see if Holly was serious or not. Holly for her part did seem a little disappointed too, but hardly showed it, if anything she came off as even more amused than before.

"Never have I ever walked in on my parents." Chris said slowly, unsure of the words coming out of his mouth. Then he and half the group took a shot. Gail barked a laugh at all of the horrified grimaces that accompanied the memories.

"You know you're supposed to say things you haven't done right?" She questioned the cook.

"Right." He mumbled to himself. They were drunk to say the least. The game of 'never have I ever' started shortly after they moved to Marks apartment, the bar had gotten too crowded and their table far too small for the group.

"Never have I ever watched porn with someone else." Dov called out. Gail, Mark, Chloe, and Frankie all took a drink.

"Never have I ever had sex in a friend's bed." Traci went next. Making Frankie, Chris and Mark take a drink.

"You still owe me new sheets for that by the way." Dov shot at the boys.

"Never have I ever flashed someone." Nick threw out. Chloe took a drink then paused.

"Wait. What do you mean by flashing?" She enquired with a slight slur and a point of her finger.

Nick shrugged. "Like your boob or something."

"That's not fair, what about you guys."

"Flashing of any kind." He elaborated.

Chloe nodded, happy about the answer. Then looked to Holly expectantly. Gail's heart stopped for a split second at the implication that Chloe knew Holly should take a drink. But cooled off when she realized it was just to get the brunette to take her turn.

"Never have I ever gone to a strip club." Holly offered. Everyone but Holly, Gail and Chris took a drink.

"Never have I ever kissed a boy." Frankie smirked. Drinks were surprisingly then taken by everyone but Frankie and Holly.

"Never have I ever had sex outdoors." Gail said confidently. Only getting Chloe and Dov to drink, which was something she never wanted to think about. She shivered involuntarily and Holly met her eye. Both broke out into shy smiles. It'd been happening all night, stolen glances and sheepish grins, whispered comments and hushed giggles.

"Never have I ever fantasized about someone in this room." Chris' voice warned its way into their silent bubble, the intent Gail knew to be to further fluster her. That had been going in all night too. Still, the dare brought a tint to her cheeks, and she wasn't alone either as Holly's grew pink too.

It was safe to say she didn't notice who took a drink after watching the bespectacled brunette swallow a mouthful of hers.

The game continued for another half hour before most of the group decided to call it quits and shared taxis home. Gail had a thing against cabs, they creeped her out and she couldn't make herself get passed it to take one, so she decided to walk as per usual. It wasn't a long trek from her place to Marks, she'd made it plenty of times before, but it was late and she was drunk and no one felt okay leaving her to go. Gail had complained but gave up once Holly offered to walk her and then take a cab back to her own place once Gail was safe.

The walk had been surprisingly pleasant in its silence. Neither felt the need to fill the air with mindless chatter, happy to just listen to their feet fall and the odd car pass. Though maybe it was nice not for the awkward free quiet but for the clasped arms and shared body heat. There was a chill in the air, reddening the tips of Gail's ears and freezing Holly's fingers, so huddling together was important for survival. And they were intoxicated and if apart drunken stumbling would happen so it was only logical to hold each other up. Or at least that was how Gail justified the exchange, she wondered how Holly did, or even if Holly felt the need to justify it. Maybe she'd just been looking far too into it.

Gail liked it though. The interlocked arms and mutual leaning. She liked it a lot more than she was willing to admit, even drunk.

Before she knew it her building was in view and it was time to say goodnight.

"This is me." She mumbled sadly, not even bothering to hide the disappointment in her voice. She was far too tired to deal with keeping in cheek.

"Nice building." Holly looked up, tilting her head all the way back and giving Gail a tantalizing view of her neck.

"So pretty." Gail breathed.

Holly hummed as if saying 'pardon' and met her hooded gaze.

"I said you're pretty." She repeated without thought or hesitation. Then her eyes bugged out in realization. She'd fucked up.

Holly's features brightened. "I think you're pretty too." She whispered, letting her arm drop out of Gail's only to snake it around her waist and take a step closer, not pressed together but enough to suggest what was going to happen next. Her eyes flicked up to meet blue, pupils dilated and hungry, she was giving Gail an out. An out the blonde had no intentions of taking.

Gail's heart was already racing, already dimming in her ears, she couldn't believe what was happening. Holly slowly leaned in, drawing out the moment, the exit, building the intensity until lips finally touched lips and the floodgates burst open. Gail's breath hitched at the contact, then she fell into it, bringing a hand up to hold the brunette in place. Kissing Holly was even better than she had imagined. Her lips were so much softer than dream-Holly's, and tasted of berries despite the alcohol on her tongue.

All too soon they parted, breaths heavy and clouded in the night air.

"Was that a good enough line?" Holly's eyes danced with amusement, that damn smirk played across her lips once again and Gail knew just the way to wipe it off.


End file.
